Adjustable bed



June 13, 497 R. A. BENblT 3,324,44

I ADJUSTABLE BED Filed Aug. 13, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROLAND A. BENOIT June 13, 4967 R. A. BENOIT ADJUSTABLE BED Filed Aug. 15, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN'TOR. ROLAND A. BENOIT ATTORNEY R- A. BENO ADJUSTABLE BED June l3, W67

5 Sheets-Sh 5 Filed 1965 INVENTOR, ROLAND A. BENOlT ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 13, 1965 June 13, 1967 R. A. BENOIT ADJUSTABLE BED 5 Sheets-$heet 4 I N V ENTOR. ROLAND A. BENOIT ATTORNEY June 1967 R. A. BENOIT 3,3 8

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed Au 13, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet I N VE NTOR. ROLAND A. BENOIT ATTORNEY N.Y., assignor to New York, N.Y., a corpora- The present invention relates to an adjustable bed and particularly to such a bed wherein the power for moving various portions of the bed to effect desired adjustments or shapes of the mattress support member is supplied by hydraulic means.

Various hydraulically driven adjustable beds are available commerically at the present time. Generally, these beds have at least four hydraulic cylinders. One cylinder is used to move the head portion of the mattress support member to a desired angle, while a second hydraulic cylinder is used to move the foot portion of the mattress support member to a desired angle. Either one or two hydraulic cylinders are used at each end of the bed to raise or lower the mattress support member as a unit.

In general, the hydraulic cylinders which provide the power to raise or lower the mattress support member as a unit are mounted directly at the head end and the foot end of the bed. This type of construction has two undesirable features. First, long hydraulic tubes are needed to run from the motor and pump which drive these hydraulic cylinders to the cylinders themselves. Second, servicing of the bed is difficult since the serviceman must move from one end of the bed to the other in order to pinpoint the source of a problem and to co'rect the problem. Furthermore, in all likelihood the bed must be moved during servicing with such an arrangement of the hydraulic cylinders. This renders such a bed less desirable for use in hospitals since servicing is apt to be required while a bed-ridden patient is occupying the bed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable bed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable bed which avoids the shortcomings and lll'l'litations of the presently available adjustable beds mentioned above.

A feature of the adjustable bed of the present invention is that the entire hydraulic power assembly is readily accessible from a single location and that the complete assembly may be replaced effic ently and wfthout the problems attendant upon having the various hydraulic cylinders located at remote points on the bed.

An adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a head end and a foot end. Also included are a support structure movable vertically relative to the head end and the foot end and a matt ess support member having a plurality of panels pivotally linked together. In addition, there is also provided a unitary power package comprising first and second hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move the support structure vertically, third and fourth hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move the panels of the mattress support member relative to each other and means for holding the four hydraulic cylinders together as a unit on the support structure. The adjustable bed according to the invention further includes means coupled between the first hydraulic cylinder and the head end and between the second hydraulic cylinder and the foot end for moving the support structure vertically relative to the head end and the foot end. The adjustable bed according to the invention additionally includes means coupled between the third hydraulic cylinder and the mattress support member and between the fourth hydraulic cylinder and the mattress support member for moving panels of the mattress support member relative to each other.

3,324,484 Patented June 13, 1967 For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention with the bed shown in its lowered position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention with the mattress support of the bed shown adjusted to a de sired contour;

FIG. 3 is a top view, partially cut-away, of the adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 4 through 6, inclusive, show details of those portions of the adjustable bed of the invention which effect upward and downward movements of the mattress support, FIG. 5 being a cross-section view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 being a cross-section view taken along line (t=-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a head end 10, a foot end 11 and a support structure movable vertically relative to the head end and the foot end. The head end is composed of a vertical post 15 afiixed to a horizontally extending support member 16. A caster 17 is provided at each end of the support member 16 to facilitate movement of the bed from site to site. The foot end 11, of similar construction to the head end 10, is composed of a vertical post 18 ailixed to a horizontally extending support member 19. A caster 20 is provided at each end of the support member 19.

The support structure may include a frame 12 composed of a pair of side rails 13, 13 and a plurality of transverse members 14a, 14b and 14c. A housing 21, into which the vertical post 15 is fitted, is secured, by way of an end support 22 and angle bracket 23, 23, to the side rails 13, 13. A second housing 24, into which the vertical post 18 is fitted, is secured, by way of a second end support 25 and angle brackets 26, 26, to the side rails 13, 13. A head board 27 is Elfi'lXCd to the housing 21 and the end support 22, while a foot board 28 is affixed to the housing 24 and the end support 25. Since the housings 21 and 24 and the end supports 22 and 25 are rigidly afifixed to the frame 12 and move with the frame 12 when the frame is urged to move, these portions of the bed may, for the sake of clarity, all be considered the support structure although it will be understood that the support structure may take other forms and configurations. As will be brought out in more detail below, when the support structure composed of the frame 12 and the parts rigidly afiixed thereto is moved, the movement is guided by the housings 21 and 24 moving along the vertical posts 15 and 18, respectively.

The adjustable bed according to the invention additionally includes a mattress support member 29 having a plurality of panels 29a, 29b, 29c and 29d pivotally linked together at pivot points Eda, 30b, and 300. For the particular arrangement shown in the drawings, panel 2% is secured to the frame 12 by means of a bracket 60 and remains fixed in the horizontal position shown.

The adjustable bed of the invention further includes a unitary power package comprising four hydraulic cylinders 31, 32, 33 and 34 and means for holding these four cylinders together as a unit on the frame 12. The four hydraulic cylinders 31, 32, 33 and 34 shown side by side in substantially one plane may be individually secured to a plate 35 which is fastened at its corners to the frame 12 in any suitable manner.

Hydraulic cylinders 31 and 32 provide power to drive the support structure vertically. Accordingly, means coupled between the hydraulic cylinder 31 and the foot end 11 and between the hydraulic cylinder 32 and the head end 10 are provided for moving the support structure vertically relative to the head end and the foot end. These means include a first flexible cable 36 connected between the hydraulic cylinder 31 and the foot end 11 and a second flexible cable 37 connected between the hydraulic cylinder 32 and the head end 10. One end of the inner member 36a of flexible cable 36 is securely held by a clamp 38 attached to the end of the inner member 31a of the hyrdaulic cylinder 31. The outer member of the flexible cable 36, at this end of the flexible cable, is secured by means of a suitable clamp 39 to the tranverse member 1412 of the frame 12.

Referring to FIGS. 4, and 6, the other end of the inner member 36a of the flexible cable 36 is anchored at the top of the vertical post 18 by means of a ball 40 secured to the inner member. The outer member 3612 of the flexible cable 36 is, at this end of the flexible cable, provided with a sleeve 41 securely affixed thereto. The outer surface of the sleeve 41 is threaded so that it may be received in a threaded bore in a block 42 which, in turn, is secured to the housing 24 by means of a pin 44. That portion of the block 42 through which the threaded bore is cut travels in a corresponding track or groove provided in the vertical post 18.

Since the block 42 is secured to the housing 24 and the housing 24 is, in turn, secured to the frame 12, the ends of the outer member 36b of the flexible cable are, in effect, secured to the same rigid member at different points. Thus, as the inner member 31a of the hydraulic cylinder 31 draws inward (to the right in FIG. 3), the slack in the inner member 36a of the flexible cable 36 is reduced with the result that the flexible cable urges the block 42 and, therefore, the entire support structure to move upward. The upward travel of the support structure is limited by ledge 45 in the vertical post 18 against which block 42-abuts. As the inner member 31a of the hydraulic cylinder 31 moves outward (to the left in FIG. 3), the slack in the inner member 36a of the flexible cable 36 is increased with the result that the support structure moves downward.

An arrangement similar to the one described in connection with FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is provided at the head end of the bed. The hydraulic cylinder 32 and the flexible cable 37 effect movement of the support structure relative to the head end in the same manner as do the hydraulic cylinder 31 and flexible cable 36 eflect movement of the support structure relative to the foot end 11.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an adjustable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention further includes means coupled between the third hydraulic cylinder 33 and the mattress support member 29 and between the fourth hydraulic cylinder 34 and the mattress support member for moving the panels of the mattress support member relative to each other. Specifically, such means may include a first transverse drive member 51 to which the inner member 33a of the hydraulic cylinder 33 is secured by means of a suitable clamp 52, and a second transverse drive member 53, to which the inner member 34a of the hydraulic cylinder 34 is secured by meansof a suitable clamp 54. The transverse drive member 53 is provided at its ends with rollers 55, 55 which move within tracks in the side rails 13, 13 of the frame 12. A first pair of coupling links 56, 56 having one end thereof pivotally connected to the mattress support member 29 at pivot points 57, 57 in panel 29a and the other end thereof pivotally connected to the transverse drive member 53 about an axis coincident with the axis of the transverse drive member 53 is provided to effect the driving connection between the transverse drive member 53 and the mattress support 29. A transverse rod-58 running 4 between the coupling links 56, 56 provides transverse stability.

As the inner member 34a of the hydraulic cylinder 34 draws inward or moves outward, the transverse drive member 53 is moved horizontally. This movement causes the panel 29a of the mattress support member 29 to pivot about pivot point 301;. FIG. 2 illustrates the position of panel 29a for a complete extension of the hydraulic cylinder 34.

The transverse drive member 51 is provided at its ends with rollers 59, 59 which move within the tracks in the side rails 13, 13 of the frame 12. Rigidly aflixed to the ends of the transverse drive member 51 and running parallel to the side rails 13, 13 is a second pair of coupling links 61, 61. A third pair of rollers 62, 62 which also move within the tracks in the side rails 13, 13 is provided at the other ends of the coupling links 61, 61. A third pair of coupling links 63, 63 having one end thereof pivotally connected to the mattress support member 29 at pivot point 300 and the other end thereof pivotally connected to the coupling links 61, 61 about an axis coincident with the axes of the rollers 62, 62 is provided to eifect the driving connection between the coupling links 61, 61 and the mattress support member 29. A pair of transverse rods 64 and 65, running between the coupling links 63, 63, provide transverse stability.

As the inner member 33a of the hydraulic cylinder 33 draws inward or moves outward, the transverse drive member 51 to moved horizontally. This movement causes the pivot point 300, the junction between the panels 290 and 29d of the mattress support member 29, to move upward or downward dependent upon the direction of movement of the transverse drive member 51. Such movement determines the orientation of the panel 290. A gatching member 66 is manually inserted into a selected pair of notches 67 in the coupling links 64, 64 so as to orient the panel 29a in the desired manner.

The motor and pump for driving the hydraulic cylinders may be conveniently positioned in a housing 70 located below the cylinders. The interconnections between the pump and the hydraulic cylinders may be similar to the conventional practice except that the hydraulic tubes running from the pump to the cylinders which move the support structure vertically are shortened considerably since these hydraulic cylinders are, according to one feature of the invention, in close proximity to the pump. Three control sticks 71, 72 and 73 and a control box 74 actuate the desired hydraulic cylinders to achieve the desired adjustments of the bed. The details of the control box 74 and the connections from the control box to the motor have been omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity. Here again, conventional techniques may be employed to effect the desired results.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and it is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable bed comprising:

(a) a head end;

(b) a foot end;

(c) a support structure movable vertically relative to said head end and said foot end;

(d) a mattress support member having a plurality of panels pivotally linked together;

(e) a unitary power package comprising first and second hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move said support structure vertically, third and fourth hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move panels of said mattress support member relative to each other, and means for holding said four cylinders together as a unit on said support structure;

(f) a first flexible cable having its inner member in slack condition and connected between said first hydraulic cylinder and said head end and having its outer member connected between two points on said support structure for moving said support structure vertically relative to said head end as the slack in said inner member of said first flexible cable is varied by said first hydraulic cylinder;

(g) a second flexible cable having its inner member in slack condition and connected between said second hydraulic cylinder and said foot end and having its outer member connected between two points on said support structure for moving said support structure vertically relative to said foot end as the slack in said inner member of said second flexible cable is varied by said second hydraulic cylinder;

(h) and means coupled between said third hydraulic cylinder and said mattress support member and between said fourth hydraulic cylinder and said mattress support member for moving panels of said mattress support member relative to each other.

2. An adjustable bed according to claim 1 wherein the four cylinders are side by side in substantially one plane.

3. An adjustable bed comprising:

(a) a head end having a first vertical post;

(b) a foot end having a second vertical post;

(c) a support structure movable vertically relative to said head end and said foot end including a horizontally disposed frame and a first vertical housing at one end of said frame into which said first post is fitted and a second vertical housing at the other end of said frame into which said second post is fitted;

(d) a mattress support member having a plurality of panels pivotally linked together;

(e) a unitary power package comprising first and second hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move said support structure vertically, third and fourth hydraulic cylinders for providing power to move panels of said mattress support member relative to each other, and means for holding said four cylinders together as a unit on said support structure;

(f) a first flexible cable having its inner member in slack condition and connected between the moving member of said first hydraulic cylinder and said first vertical post and having its outer member connected between said first housing and said frame for moving said support structure vertically relative to said head end as the slack in said inner member of said first flexible cable is varied by said first hydraulic cylinder;

(g) a second flexible cable having its inner member in slack condition and connected between the moving member of said hydraulic cylinder and said second vertical post and having its outer member connected between said second housing and said frame for moving said support structure vertically relative to said foot end as the slack in said inner member of said second flexible cable is varied by said second hydraulic cylinder;

(h) and means coupled between said third hydraulic cylinder and said mattress support member and be* tween said fourth hydraulic cylinder and said mattress support member for moving panels of said mattress support member relative to each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,508 2/1955 Peterson 103-3 3,012,253 12/1961 Reichert 568 3,191,195 6/1965 Schlackman et a1. 56 3 CASMIR A. N'UNBERG, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE BED COMPRISING: (A) A HEAD END; (B) A FOOT END; (C) A SUPPORT STRUCTURE MOVABLE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID HEAD END AND SAID FOOT END; (D) A MATRESS SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF PANELS PIVOTALLY LINKED TOGETHER; (E) A UNITARY POWER PACKAGE COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS FOR PROVIDING POWER TO MOVE SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE VERTICALLY, THIRD AND FOURTH HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS FOR PROVIDING POWER TO MOVE PANELS OF SAID MATTRESS SUPPORT MEMBER RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FOUR CYLINDERS TOGETHER AS A UNIT ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE; (F) A FIRST FLEXIBLE CABLE HAVING ITS INNER MEMBER IN SLACK CONDITION AND CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FIRST HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND SAID HEAD END AND HAVING ITS OUTER MEMBER CONNECTED BETWEEN TWO POINTS ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID HEAD END AS THE SLACK IN SAID INNER MEMBER OF SAID FIRST FLEXIBLE CABLE IS VARIED BY SAID FIRST HYDRAULIC CYLINDER; (G) A SECOND FLEXIBLE CABLE HAVING ITS INNER MEMBER IN SLACK CONDITION AND CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SECOND HYDRAYLIC CYLINDER AND SAID FOOT END AND HAVING ITS OUTER MEMBER CONNECTED BETWEEN TWO POINTS ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID FOOT END AS THE SLACK IN SAID INNER MEMBER OF SAID SECOND FLEXIBLE CABLE IS VARIED BY SAID SECOND HYDRAULIC CYLINDER; (H) AND MEANS COUPLED BETWEEN SAID THIRD HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND SAID MATTRESS SUPPORT MEMBER AND BETWEEN SAID FOURTH HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND SAID MATTRESS SUPPORT MEMBER FOR MOVING PANELS OF SAID MATTRESS SUPPORT MEMBER RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER. 